BBC to give up its "tax-avoiding" freelancers

They'll become staff.

BBC presenter Fiona Bruce, who was named by the Telegraph. Photograph: Getty Images

More than 100 BBC presenters will have to give up freelance contracts that could help them cut their tax bills, according to reports from the Telegraph.

The broadcaster has allowed more than 6,000 employees to be paid as though they were “personal service companies”, meaning they can be taxed more lightly, the newspaper reports. These freelancers include Fiona Bruce, Gavin Esler and Emily Maitlis.

After a review of its freelance arrangements by Deloitte, the BBC said today that it could move 131 people onto staff contracts after their freelance deals have expired.

Hovever, it added that there was "no evidence" that it had helped aid tax avoidance.

Earlier this year Newsnight's Jeremy Paxman said that the BBC had asked him to set up a private company in order to receive payment.